DandânDandân | Art by Kelogsloops

On Monday, March 16th, Wizards of the Coast put a deck into the Secret Lair Chaos Vault that is like none other we've seen on the drop platform. The deck is based on the format known as DandânDandân, also known by many as "Forgetful Fish". Created by a significant member of the Magic community in the mid-1990s, Dandân uses a single deck to facilitate combat between two players. What's in this deck, and what does it cost? And also of note, what time does it launch? Read on, and we'll elaborate!

Dandân, the Forgetful Fish Format

According to the MTG Wiki, Forgetful Fish was created by Nick Floyd sometime in 1996 or 1997 (the exact dates are unclear). The format was then shared online in 2016, where it has since amassed a ton of community traction and popularity. So, when Wizards of the Coast decided to reveal that they were planning to make a deck for Secret Lair based on the format, players instantly latched onto the idea.

Naturally, however, it's taken a bit of time since that reveal for Wizards to actually give players more information on the Fish. Thankfully, they released a full decklist a day before the release of the deck within the Chaos Vault:

How to Play Dandân

This format is truly unique among Magic formats. The goal is the same as any other typical game of Magic: Whittle your opponent's life total down to zero or have them draw from an empty library. However, the application of these goals is very different. These are some of the main differences in Dandân:

1. Each player draws from one shared library.
2. The only creature in a Forgetful Fish deck is, naturally, DandânDandân. There are multiple copies of the eponymous Fish to compensate for this lack of other creatures.

So, with these simple (and obviously nonexhaustive) deckbuilding rules, the format has grown into a behemoth in casual circles. The normal way to make a deck in this format is to keep to monoblue. However, some crafty deckbuilders have made other decks inspired by the Forgetful Fish that take certain liberties. For instance, some Dandân decks don't stick to monoblue, but have red or even other colors in them. Some decks don't even use the Fish at all, but choose to use other creatures. Even still, others eschew creatures altogether! In a nutshell, the Forgetful Fish has caused many players to rethink how they view Magic formats on the whole.

Wizards of the Coast's Precon

When Wizards of the Coast revealed their own take on the format with their precon, they revealed that a whopping 46 out of 80 cards in the deck will be printed in a borderless foil treatment:

• 20x Island
  • 5x Island (2144)
  • 5x Island (2145)
  • 5x Island (2146)
  • 5x Island (2147)
• 10x Dandân
  • 5x Dandân (2138)
  • 5x Dandân (2139)
• 8x Memory Lapse
• 4x Accumulated Knowledge
• 2x Magical Hack
• 2x Mystic Sanctuary

The rest will be in a retro frame and nonfoil. That said, this deck appears to be one that could sell out in mere minutes, even at its price point of $99.99. The Chaos Vault opens its Fish market for business at 9 AM Pacific (or Noon Eastern) today. So, if you're planning to buy it, get ready as soon as you see this!

And now, let's open the floor to you, dear readers! Take your time, since you may well wish to buy the Dandân deck first. Have you played Forgetful Fish before? Are you planning to start any time soon? Alternatively, have you played any variants on the format before? Sound off in the comments below!